A Kent grandfather has thanked the all female ambulance team who helped save his life after a sudden heart attack at the roadside one day after a heart scan showed no issues.
76-year-old Rodger from Otford in Kent is now one of an estimated 1.4 million heart attack survivors in the UK, with someone admitted to hospital roughly every five minutes.
Rodger was driving himself and his wife through West Kingsdown on 7 March 2026 when he felt short of breath and had a sudden onset of chest pain. The day before, he had undergone a heart echo ultrasound scan to assess the structure and function of his heart and was reassured that all chambers appeared normal and was given the green light.
However, while out on the road the following day, Rodger began to feel breathless and developed chest pain. As his symptoms worsened, he pulled over and dialled 999.
Emergency Medical Advisor, Lucy answered the call and immediately classified it as a Category 1 emergency. She stayed on the line with Rodger, calmly supporting him with breathing techniques while help was dispatched.
Paramedic, Ellie and Associate Ambulance Practitioner, Louise arrived within minutes. After assessing Rodger, they performed an ECG which confirmed he was having a heart attack. The crew administered medication to relieve his pain and support his blood pressure before transporting him on blue lights to the Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI) centre at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
At hospital, Rodger underwent emergency surgery. Doctors discovered three clots in his arteries which had caused the heart attack and a balloon procedure was carried out to restore blood flow to the blocked artery.
Two months later, Rodger visited Thameside ambulance station to reunite with all female team, Ellie, Louise and Lucy, alongside his daughter Emma, to thank them in person and hear more about his recovery.
He said “These two amazing ladies not only put me at rest to control my breathing and pain but also put my wife and daughters’ minds at rest. I was totally in their hands as they made arrangements to take me to the cardiac unit at William Harvey Hospital. The staff were waiting for me as they had kept the hospital updated as to when they were to arrive. Due to the amazing treatment and care that I received from these two amazing ladies I am here to share my story.”
Ellie said “Meeting Rodger and seeing him doing so well was incredibly rewarding. From the moment we arrived, it was about working quickly and calmly as a team to get him the treatment he needed.”
Louise said “It was a privilege to care for Rodger at such a critical time. He remained calm and trusting throughout what must have been an extremely frightening experience. Seeing him recovered and back with his family is exactly why we do this job.”
Lucy said “Taking Rodger’s 999 call and being able to support him until help arrived was a real example of teamwork in action. Keeping him calm and breathing steadily while ensuring the crew and hospital were prepared made a real difference, and it was fantastic to see him doing so well in person.”